Saturday, May 20, 2006

The last time the public was this engaged in a policy issue was 1994, when President Clinton's health care plan was being debated. But there was a criticaldifference then. Once the idea took hold that there was no health care crisis inAmerica--there still isn't--health care reform began to fade. It turned out tobe postponable.

Immigration reform is not. There really is an immigration crisis. In fact, the very Republicans who want an immigration bill limited to enforcement are largely responsible for having brought to the attention of all Americans the fact that a crisis exists and must be dealt with urgently. For them to prevent a bill now would be political suicide. It would all but guarantee Democratic capture of the House on November 7. "We're in control," says Republican senator Mel Martinez of Florida. "We're in charge. And if we don't produce, it would be a terrible failure. It would be handing the other side a win." A big win.

Read the whole thing. Especially if you think it's better to have no bill at all than one that has more or less in it than you think should be there.

The people who have brought the enforcement failure to light, who have repeatedly told people what's going on at the border, and have finally gotten Washington to speak upon the issue, are now to be satisfied by the mere passage of a bill.

It's not the bill they want, they want the border secured.

This is the type of nonsense that passes for wisdom in Washington.

Here's a newsflash: It's NOT about legislation, IT'S ABOUT RESULTS.

The politicians, and their camp followers, {Barnes is in the latter group} naturally view the issue as one of increased legislation and signing ceremonies. But for people who live in fear along the Southern border, for people who no longer recognize the towns and counties they've grown up in, it isn't about more legislation, nor is it about more politicians grandstanding for the cameras.

Sometimes Barnes even amazes me by his ability to utterly miss the obvious.

It would be far better for the House GOP to reject a Senate bill, then to yield, and pass a worthless piece of legislation, JUST FOR THE SAKE of passing something.